We are back to the daily grind, but as I sit at my desk working on the June communications plan I can’t help but think back to last week’s AHHHHHMAZING Admissions Office Retreat. This year’s retreat took place in Annapolis. Our schedule was comprised of many discussions and meetings, in addition to team building activities/outings….
Category: Santa Fe
When Is a Paper More Than Just a Paper?
At St. John’s College, your senior thesis isn’t just a paper. It’s the culmination of all previous work, a labor of love and a rite of passage all rolled in to one. And I had the unique privilege of watching the Santa Fe Seniors celebrate the completion of their papers this past Saturday. Perhaps…
Why Visiting Colleges is a Great Idea
In the winter of 2010, I was an enthusiastic high school senior eager to embark on what everyone told me would be the most exciting 4(ish)-year journey of my life: college. My mailbox was constantly overflowing with materials from colleges and universities from all over the country, each one promising that I could find my…
What are your most popular majors?
At St. John’s we do not ask you to select a major. In fact, we do not believe that a college should have departments. “The human mind does not have departments,” as a St. John’s faculty member was recently quoted as saying. The best quick answer to the question, “What are your most popular majors?” is that the top five popular career…
Why I’m Grateful to be a January Freshman
When I think of my time at St. John’s College as an undergraduate, there are so many things to be grateful for—the academic program, the supportive community and the beautiful Santa Fe setting all come to mind. But I am most grateful for being a January Freshman. To be a JF is already kind of…
A typical morning in the SJC SF coffee shop
In addition to the cooler temperatures, and our first early action application deadline, mid-November also brings with it freshman math tutorials and more in-depth work on Euclid’s Elements. Take note of the chalkboards. Students use them daily as they work together to better understand the mathematical principles at play. Admissions counselors also take the opportunity…
Never Underestimate the Importance of Coffee
Mike Donaldson is the Office Manager for St. John’s College’s Santa Fe campus. Mike just graduated from the Graduate Institute in May and works in our office to help everyone stay organized and on task. In addition overseeing the student workers he also tracks all of our expenditures. Every morning he goes through a series…
Finding the Most Skillful, Bravest and Virtuous Version of Yourself
There are a lot of great things about working as a college Admissions Counselor. We get to talk to excited high school students about their plans for the future, ease the fears of parents who are preparing to let their children leave the home and start on their journey towards adulthood, and inform high school…
A Rare Moment in the Midst of Fall Travel Craziness
Fall is the season of travel for admissions counselors everywhere. For the St. John’s College admissions counselors it means being on the road almost constantly from early September to mid November! This photo depicts a rare moment on the Santa Fe campus. For less than four hours, all of our admissions counselors were in the office at…
St. John’s on the Road
Every fall, admissions officers spread out across the country (and world) to meet with high school students and talk about their colleges. St. John’s is no exception: thirteen of us have scattered the globe, from New York, New York to Dilijan, Armenia. What’s the point of a high school visit? Not everyone can come to…
The Chalkboard 